Idaho Non-Resident Moose Permit Issue

Published: May - 2000

I am continuing to monitor the Idaho nonresident moose permit issue, which I first told you about last March (see page 5). The issue, you'll recall, is the commission's reluctant decision to consider issuing a percentage of the state's Shiras moose permits to nonresidents. The commission originally planned to make the permits available this year, but it managed to postpone a decision until next year, which of course excludes nonresidents from the 2000 moose season.

Now, it seems that the issue is threatening to backfire on nonresidents. Word reaching me is, the commission has decided to re-examine the way other nonresident permits are issued, with an eye toward making all trophy species controlled hunt drawings conform to the 10 percent rule that was proposed for the moose drawing. The problem with that is, at present nonresidents are allocated at least one permit in some units that have fewer than a total of 10 permits available. The commission says this results in "...nonresidents often having more than 10 percent overall." And they want that stopped.

What bothers me most is the hostile way this whole matter is being discussed. For example, Commissioner Roy Moulton asked recently to see if, "...nonresidents could be limited to hunting moose only where the animals spend most or all of their lives on public ground." Imagine that! Another commissioner was "...concerned that residents not lose hunting opportunity where nonresidents are allowed to hunt moose." The only way that could happen would be to add permits to the present allocation.

Obviously, the moose permit allocation issue has become a political football. The bottom line, though, is the state is under the gun and it knows it. According to a flyer I received recently from the Idaho Fish and Game Department, the commission "...has been advised that it would be unlikely to prevail in court if the (state's) nonresident moose exclusion is challenged." Life is too short - get out and do some hunting!